Ocean’s out to beat odds
IT WOULD be akin to casino robbery if Ocean’s Fourteen was able to win Saturday’s $1.5 million VRC Derby at just his fourth career start.
The Aaron Purcell-trained colt had just his third start in last week’s 2200m Geelong Classic in which he finished second to promising New Zealand colt Weather With You.
The son of Cox Plate winner Ocean Park broke his maiden at his second start, over 1620m at Donald, but made the seamless step to stakes class at Geelong.
“Obviously stepping up from a maiden you hope they can step up and he was really good,” said Purcell, who took over Ciaron Maher’s stable last month.
“I didn’t know as much about him as most of the other people in the stable and they were confident he was going to be right there.
“We had to wait and see and obviously I liked what I saw.
“He’s come on from the run so I’m sure he’ll run a good race in the Derby.”
Whether or not the form will stand up is still yet to be known.
“Other years the Geelong race is a bit off the pace but this year it seems to be a fairly even bunch of three-year-olds, so I’m not sure where the best form lines are,” Purcell said.
“It’s going to be an interesting race on Saturday.
“He was really strong to the line over 2200m at his third start so up to 2500m shouldn’t be an issue at all.”
Purcell said the colt, out of the dual Group 2-winning mare Ruud Van Slaats, had always boasted plenty of expectation after being purchased for $325,000 as a yearling.
“There’s always been a good opinion of him in the stable that he was going to make a nice stayer,” Purcell said.
“He’s a naturally cleanwinded horse and he gets out to a trip quickly, so it hasn’t been that hard a job. There was definitely confidence he was going to make a nice staying horse.”
It’s a big week for the Purcell stable, with Jukebox and Merchant Navy to contest Saturday’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, while Aloisia will run favourite in Thursday week’s Group 1 Victoria Oaks.